The Malphaen Military
The Malphaen Military Introduction Whilst technically not separate from the wider Xyth Empire Military, the military of the Malphaen Enclave is distinct all the same, with its own command structure and with soldiers far different in equipment than the rest of the Empire. They are known for their high morale and robust defensive capability, though some say that their victories are only due to incompetent enemies. Equipment In order to ensure comfortable fighting in Untelia, where the Malphaen Korps are often deployed, the equipment of soldiers from the enclave is very unique. It is very heavy, often incorporating metal that likely wouldn't help defensively but its weight does help simulate gravity conditions on Hirson on a mildly lower gravity planet such as Untelia. Because of the toxic (though not exceedingly so, but it still functions as an irritant at best) atmosphere of Untelia, gas masks are also incorporated in order to filter out the majority of these gasses. Soldiers have reported feeling somewhat ill or dizzy following prolonged time on Untelia even with these masks, but they work for the most part and the Enclave is too poor to afford superior masks. Uniform is seen as important by the officers of the military, hence strict uniform policies have been enacted. Compromises are made, but it is practically impossible to tell one soldier from another provided they are members of the same regiment, particularly because of their gas masks. The weapons of the military vary greatly, despite fairly consistent uniforms. Some Guard regiments are given rifles that fire assorted hot liquids, but most regiments use simple rifles, often with bayonets. Reputation Whilst not seen as the best soldiers in the Empire, the Malphaen soldiers are known for their keenness for battle and their defensive potential. Once convict rebels in Untelia adopted trench warfare, the soldiers stationed there were not far behind and it has since become symbolic of the Military. Relations between Malphaen Regiments and other Imperial Regiments can become strained during operations due to their drastically different battle tactics and way of thinking, but the officers of the Malphaen Korps always ensure it doesn't get dangerously sour. Malphaen Infantry are trained to simply follow their officers in a wartime operation; complaints are allowed and not punished, but they are rarely taken into account and little rest is given to the infantry. However, wild propagandized fanaticism is often inspired in Malphaen soldiers to ensure that morale is high. Navy The Naval Korps of the Enclave are subject to extreme funds to create ships; the ships themselves are somewhat crude in design, but contain a heavy amount of firepower and are of great size. However, there are only so many of the truly huge ships, the battleships. Recruitment into the Navy is generally reserved for the well off in Malphaen society; very few people are conscripted into the Navy excluding the "Conscripti Nautae"; Marines employed to patrol ships when the "Adeptus Nautae", the professional Marines. are in short supply. Operation Deadman During the attempted overthrowing of M'arr courtesy of Vitiacus in 2048, many forces in the Enclave pledged loyalty to the new Emperor. These traitors failed to assassinate Premier-Militant Hosell and his adviser Admiral Godwin, and they both escaped. The Empire saw to it personally that, in Operation Deadman, all traitors to the Enclave were executed shortly afterwards. This greatly compromised the Malphaen military, and it has yet to recover.